Behind the sale: Brian and Lisa Fulton had their first production sale in 2000, after starting their breeding operation in 1998. Brian, 12-time all-around cowboy on the Badland Circuit, and 1996 PRCA reserve champion steer wrestler, started breeding horses when he was having a hard time finding the type of horse he liked. He wanted a horse that not only had speed and cow, but also the right mental attitude to do his job. Brian and Lisa are raising three boys--Jake, Jared and John Lloyd.

Best known for: High-level performance horses with ranch-raised trainability, speed, cow sense, and substance. The Fultons stand two stallions—A Streak Of Fling and CS Flashlight. The Fultons have owned Streak of Fling for seven years now, and his get are proving themselves in the rodeo arena. CS Flashlight’s first riding 2-year-olds will be offered at this year’s sale, and he shows a lot of potential in the rodeo arena as well. The Fultons are also known for their work with young riders. Every summer they mentor a group of talented young horsemen who help prep performance prospects for the sale.

Expect to see: 70 weanlings, yearlings, and broke 2-, 3- and 4-year-olds that have been ridden out on the ranch, and are ready for any type of performance work. The sale is held at the Cherry County Fairgrounds, with easy access from I-83.

Website and contact information: Log on to fultonranch.com; call 605-429-3204, or email brianfulton@inetnebr.com.

Behind the sale: Open Box Rafter Ranch is a working cattle and horse ranch owned by Jim and Joni Hunt. “This is what we do full time,” says Joni Hunt. “Our seven children (ages 7 to 22) are involved in every aspect of its operation from making selective breeding decisions about matings, to halter breaking, doctoring, working cattle, branding, starting young colts and putting up the hay to feed in the winter. They can identify every one of our 120 mares by name.”

Best known for: Quality horses, hard to find bloodlines, and cowboy heritage. Open Box Rafter Ranch is an authentic family ranch with generations of history. Jim's grandfather, Albert Lopez, had the first band of registered AQHA mares in SD. Joni's great-grandfather, Tom Berry, raised Remount horses and was South Dakota's "Cowboy Governor" in the 1930's. Many of the horsemen who come to the sale are repeat buyers, returning for quality prospects, the ranch’s solid reputation for good horses, and South Dakota ranch hospitality.

Expect to see: Quality horses and carefully chosen, exceptional broodmares. “We’re proud of our stallions,” says Joni, “but our focus has also been the quality of our broodmares. We believe ‘good horses, like good men, have good mothers.’ More than 30 of our broodmares are granddaughters of the immortal Sugar Bars, one of the most versatile and influential sires in Quarter Horse history.” The sale, held at the fairgrounds in Rapid City, off Interstate 90, is easy to access and five miles from the airport.

Behind the sale: The Weaver family came to Montana and recorded the Weaver brand in 1888. Five generations later, they’re still producing top quality horses. In 2009, Weaver Quarter Horses was listed as an AQHA leading breeder of Performance Point Earners. Ima Tuff Missy, the 2009 AQHA open all-around junior horse, and Weavers Smokin Boon, the third place horse at the 2009 NRCHA Amateur in Reno, were bred by Weaver Quarter Horses, and both horses were bought at the sale as weanlings.

Best known for: High-quality prospects and return customers. More than 80 percent of the horses go to repeat buyers. “The horses and the bloodlines are proven and the breeding makes them versatile for every facet of equine use,” says Stan Weaver.

Expect to see: Solid versatile horses and lots of color. “Our horses are well known for their cow-horse pedigrees, speed, good bone, feet and withers,” says Stan. “On the ranch, we ride the horses we raise and sell. They’re born in ranch country, and the mares foal out and spend the summers on native pasture with their respective stallion. The foals learn to cross creeks, navigate through mountains, timber and rock, and as a result are well muscled with good feet. They step out and have trainable minds and a hard working attitude.”

Web site and contact information: log on to WeaverHorses.com, email 7sweaver@mtintouch.net; phone 406-378-2600.

While it’s been a working cattle operation for more than 100 years, this will be Black Ranch’s first horse production sale, and the horses they’re offering reflect the 55,000-acre ranch’s working history.

Tyler Bode, horse program manager at Black Ranch, explains that horses wearing the stirrup brand see plenty of miles and cattle—all part of making truly versatile, good-minded horses.

“We really use these horses on the ranch,” he says. “These horses are bred, raised and ridden to develop cow sense and sound minds, along with athletic ability.”

On sale day, buyers will have a chance to bid on around 100 head, and about 65 of those horses will be under saddle. These ranch-raised, foundation-bred Quarter Horses will include foals, broodmares, started geldings and fillies, as well as a good selection of finished ranch and arena horses.

This offering represents several generations of quality genetics, with bloodlines that include Joe Hancock, Blue Valentine, Doc O’ Lena, Leo, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey and many more.

“We’re crossing foundation ranch horse lines on northern ranching lines like Blue Valentine and Joe Hancock,” says Bode. “Our focus here is to breed them for the jobs we have for our horses on the ranch. We breed for good minds, cow sense and athletic ability. These horses get used daily around the ranch. They’re not only cowy and athletic, but have dispositions that just about anyone can get along with.”

For more information: Log on the Web to Blackranchesinc.com, or call Tyler Bode at (308) 762- 5105 or (402) 843-8361

Behind the Sale: Haythorn Ranch was established in 1884 by Harry and Emma Haythornthwaite. In the 126 years since, the Haythorn family has become an American ranching dynasty. Harry’s great-grandson, Craig, Craig’s wife Jody, and sons Sage and Cord, continue the family tradition that has made Haythorn Land & Cattle a legend. The Haythorn production sale is held only once every four years to allow horses the time necessary to be trained completely. Horses sold in the sale are ranch horses, raised outside and trained in a cow camp—not in a barn or an arena. Each Haythorn cowboy is responsible for putting the finishing touches on 10 to 15 horses and, when their mounts are sold, the cowboy receives 10 percent of the selling price.

Best known for: Quality and integrity. “Our word and integrity has been a big part of our success through the years,” says Craig. They stand 12 stallions at Haythorn, many with Hancock and King Fritz bloodlines.

Expect to see: Well-broke, gentle using horses (geldings in particular) that have been raised in the Haythorn tradition of well-rounded horses. The sale draws some 4,000 people and offers a ranching experience, with an evening meal, trade show and more. Come the day before the sale for the 6th Annual Waldo Haythorn Futurity. The sale preview begins the next morning at 8 a.m., and the sale starts about 1 p.m.

Web sites and contact information: For more information, call 308-355-4000; email haythorn@lakemac.net; or log on to Haythorn.com.

Behind the Sale: Todd and Una Ford, along with Ted and Barb Crowley, own Treasure State Quarter Horses, located 30 miles south of Chinook, Montana. This year marks their 15th annual sale with Weaver Quarter Horses. “We’re a traditional outfit with modern day breeding,” says Todd. “We ride our own bloodlines, break our own colts, and do all aspects of our ranch work on horseback. We foal out on grass and our foals learn to travel the hills next to their mothers from the time they’re born until they’re weaned in the fall.”

Best known for: Ranch-raised colts and speed and performance bloodlines. The ranch stands three proven stallions: Perks Status Symbol, by Dash For Perks; PC Mr Sun Peppy, by Sun Frost; and Paddys Shota Merada by Paddys Irish Whiskey. “True to our breeding program, our stallions and mares have a blend of proven cow horse and performance Quarter Horse bloodlines. Our bloodlines are a combination of today’s best speed and cow-bred pedigrees with a high percentage of our broodmares either being proven themselves or proven producers,” Todd says.

Behind the Sale: Experience the living history of the American Quarter Horse at the Return to the Remuda Sale. Beggs Cattle Company, 6666 Ranch, Pitchfork Land & Cattle Company and the Tongue River Ranch produce the sale each year, and this year, 6666 will be hosting the sale.

Best Known for: Top quality horses with legendary pedigrees. These ranches have built time-tested pedigrees for more than 100 years, and the sale offers horsemen the finest in ranch horse, cutting, reining, reined cow horse, roping and barrel racing bloodlines.

Expect to see: a quality selection of 125 to 150 horses that includes weanlings, yearlings, 2-year-olds and stallion prospects. A demonstration of sale horses will be held September 24, followed by the sale on September 25. The ranches participating in the sale are collectively donating one weanling filly from 6666 Ranch to be raffled off immediately following the last lot number offered. Only those who buy a horse in the sale will have a chance to win this filly—so the more horses you purchase the greater your chance of winning. There will also be an American Quarter Horse Foundation Benefit Auction, including many ranch-type memorabilia. Proceeds will benefit the American Quarter Horse Foundation, which supports equine research, America’s Horse Cares Therapeutic Riding, and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum.

Web site and contact information: Log on to 6666ranch.com; for a catalog, call 6666 Ranch at 806-596-4424.

“We’re passionate about our horses,” Mary Crago says. “We want to see them in the best hands possible to fully utilize the horse’s—and the rider’s—potential.”

That passion for trainable, athletic horses with sound bone structure and great dispositions has been a driving force at Chuck and Mary Crago Performance Horses for more than 34 years. Their horses are born in the pastures of South Dakota and bred to go from ranch to arena. They excel in roping, barrels, poles, cutting, and working cow horse and reining, and prove themselves as solid ranch horses.

“We raise the kind of horses we want to ride,” Mary says. “The horses we show have jobs right here on our ranch.”